As distance from earth’s surface increases, the temperature of the stratosphere
a. decreases.
c. remains the same.
b. increases.
d. none of the above.

Of the presented problem above together with its options available, the most likely answer would be A. decreases.

As distance from Earth's surface increases, the temperature of the stratosphere decreases. The reason would be that some air molecules would escape to the outer space and thus rendering the temperature to be actually colder. Even though hot air rises and cool air descends, the fact that air molecules, hot or cold, escapes to the vacuum of space, the temperature would then become closer to zero.